The Glass Prison
by Pharos
Summary: Wufei meets a young girl after being captured by the enemy, is there more to her then he sees or is she just another prisoner? *Second Chapter now Submitted, it takes place two years after Endless Waltz Enjoy! Please R&R!
1. Chapter 1

**The Glass Prison**

Disclaimer: I don't own the Gundam Wing Characters so please don't sue me for borrowing them

His heart beat frantically in his chest as he pushed his way through the crowded streets, his chest felt like it was on fire, his legs threatened to collapse with each step foreword. Cursing under his breath he ducked into a dark alley way, leaning back against the side of a brick wall as he struggled to control his breathing. His breath came in strangled gasps turning into mist as it escaped into the night. His body shivered uncontrollably as he sank to the ground pulling his legs close to his chest in an effort to retain some heat. It hurt to breathe; it hurt to _think_ about breathing. His vision blurred and he cursed forcing himself back onto his feet as the ground began to spin and give way beneath him. Blood trickled down his pants leg as he trudged back out into the crowded streets . . . .

Sunlight glimmered through an open window shining a painfully bright light in his face; the sound of chirping birds could be heard from somewhere outside that window. _Where am I?_ He stared blankly at the unfamiliar rose bordered white walls with uncertainty. Memories of stumbling out of the alleyway and into the crowded street floated about in his mind like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle waiting to be solved. The smell of roses traveled in on the breeze filling the room with its sweet scent. Something firm but soft cradled his back and head. He was in a bed? How had he gotten here? And just where was 'here'?

"Glad to see you are awake . . . Chang Wufei."

Wufei jerked at the sound of _that_ voice, so full of self-confidence and authority he had grown up listening to those kinds of voices.

"Treize." The name hissed from his lips as he shot upright suddenly realizing just where he was. The pieces of memory falling back into place as if drawn together by magic.

_The cold ate at him as his feet finally gave way beneath him, of course they would injured as he was he had no delusions of making it back to his Gundam before the pain finally won out. Wufei cursed as the ground seemed to rush up to meet him, too weak to stop it from happening. A slender white gloved hand reached out and caught him gently lifting him back up into the air. Suddenly he felt himself floating above the ground, cradled against something warm and comforting. Then the pain stabbed through him and he bit back the groan threatening to escape._

_"Its okay now, you're safe." A calm voice whispered above him the rumble of it pulsing through his tired body. All he wanted to do was curl up in that warmth and sleep, sleep until it all just disappeared . . . ._

The memory brought with it a flush of shame as well as an explosion of pain that etched its way up his side to his bandaged chest. Wufei bit back against this new flush of pain clutching a hand to his side as he turned his black glare towards the man standing in the doorway. The realization that he was in the hands of the enemy stung worse then the pain. Already he had lost to this man in the field of battle and had come away from it alive baring the shame of it deep inside. His hand inched closer to his pants searching for the weapon hidden among the folds. His seeking fingers met skin and a new realization bloomed in his head turning his face bright red. He was _naked_ beneath the thick sheets!

"I took the liberty of having your weapons removed and your clothes washed. Until they are dry you may use the ones on the dresser." Treize replied calmly gesturing with his hand towards the bedside dresser where a stack of neatly folded clothes laid.

"And my weapons?"

"They will be returned to you once you are fully healed," A smile bloomed on that hateful face, "You will not be permitted to carry any weapons while here and all your meals will be fed to you under the careful watch of my servants. _All_ of whom happen to be women."

Wufei sniffed at the thought of being fed by a woman as if he were no more then a child. The idea of being treated like a child did not settle well in his mind but he was at the mercy of the enemy. For the second time of his life he felt the burn of shame, the shame of being captured by the enemy without a fight.

"Do you wish to fight me, Chang?" Treize's voice whispered so close to his ear he jumped, regretting it the second it happen his body protesting the sudden movement with renewed stabs of pain. Sturdy hands pushed him back to the firm softness of the bed and pulled the sheets up to cover his bandaged chest. "Maybe once you are healed, we may duel once more." A gentle caress touched his cheek and he stiffened at the contact unable to knock away the hand.

The sound of retreating footsteps and the door closing was a relief but his body would not relax. He was shamed, again by the same man who had shamed him the first time. _Damn the man to the pit of hell and back!_ Now he had a new concern, Treize may have disarmed him but he could not have found the Gundam . . . yet anyways. _Oz will stop at nothing to gain control of the Gundam's, you must not let them get their hands on it._ His path was clear; protect the Gundam's at all cost his life was forfeit to the enemy.

It hurt to move each step foreword was as agonizing as the last but it felt better then lying in that bed. He wore the clothes Treize had left out for him, a pair of dark jeans and a white t-shirt not the kind of clothes he expected a man like Treize to own. Wufei cursed his own weakness as he moved slowly his hands pressed against the wall in an effort to remain upright. Mid-morning sunlight was just beginning to peak through the dark red curtains that covered the window casting the room into darkness. Reaching out, he grasped the edges of the curtain, shuffling his feet closer he pulled the curtains apart letting a beam of sunlight flash into the room. Rubbing his eyes, Wufei leaned back against the wall, sliding down until he sat upright against it. Gritting his teeth around the edges of pain, he stared out the window at the surrounding foliage. Dark red roses opened their petals to the sunlight amid a forest of green.

"Beautiful . . . aren't it?" A soft voice echoed behind him. Wufei turned his head slowly to see who had spoken. Expecting to see and old maid, given Treize's comment about women being the only ones allowed near him, he was surprised to see a young girl about his age walk into the room right up to the window. Her long black hair hung draped over her shoulder in a tight braid, a pair of onyx black eyes met his gaze as a smile spread across her face. She wore a pair of loose dark blue jeans, a plain red t-shirt and a faded blue denim jacket, she held something in her hands and it took him a moment to realize it was a sketch book. She looked so plain and uninteresting Wufei probably would not have noticed her if she had stood right in front of him, unless she spoke that is. Lanky, that was what he would have called her, all arms and legs, far too skinny she looked like a twig in those clothes.

She moved closer until she was right next to the window, she pulled the curtains back the rest of the way before turning to look at him.

"I'm really sorry if I disturbed you but I wanted to get a good picture of the garden and I can barely see it from my room." She gestured towards the roses with her sketchbook a slight smile appearing on her face. "You don't mind . . . do you?" She whispered the last words her head hung as if afraid he would yell at her.

"You're already here so why would I mind?" He asked, what did he care it was not his room and it certainly was not his garden.

"Oh, thank you!" She clapped her hands together with the book held between her two palms, "I'm almost finished and it'll only take a moment!" She sat down in front of him with her legs crisscrossed, and opened the sketchbook to a page where a partially finished picture waited. She pulled a piece of charcoal from her denim pocket and began to hurriedly sketch the remainder of the picture.

Wufei returned his attention to the garden, ignoring the girl was easy it was almost like she was not even there. The soft sound of her drawing felt almost relaxing and he shut his eyes drifting on the edge between sleeping and being awake. The warm sunlight filled him as he sat there breathing slowly to ensure no more pain would touch his wound. The sound of rustling paper barely registered in his mind, it felt so good to just sit there in the sunlight that he just could not care about anything else.

The sound of movement brought him back and he reluctantly opened his eyes to see that she was finally getting to her feet.

"Thank you again Mister . . . ?" She looked at him with those onyx eyes of hers waiting for him to respond a blush began to appear on her face as the silence stretched on. Blinking, she backed away slowly before rushing for the door as if afraid he might attack her.

"My name is Wufei." He replied just as she reached the door, her hand paused over the doorknob.

"My name is Wumei." She replied softly before running out of the room.

Wufei stared at the door for a long moment before something on the floor caught his attention; a white sheet of sketch paper lay before him on the carpet and he reached over to pick it up. It was a picture of him as he sat leaning back against the wall.

The Gods above but it hurt to move, Wufei pushed aside the pain as he forced his body to move through the motions he had known since childhood. After three days of this the pain was beginning to recede and he felt almost normal again. True to his words the only people whom he saw were the maids who brought his food and changed his bandages. He was never left alone while he ate nor was he allowed to hold anything resembling a weapon. It irritated him having women serve him, watch him and dress his wounds for him as if he were no more then a child. Most of the maids were old enough to be his mother or his grandmother, and their readily treated him as if he were their child or grandchild. He had not seen Wumei since that first day and none of the other maids were inclined to speak about her, at least not to him. He kept the picture, though why he could not figure out.

The door opened and Wufei sighed straightening to see who it was, weary of seeing anymore maids especially since they seemed to think he was made of glass and could break at the slightest touch. The sight of Treize walking into the room made him stiffen; the man really was infuriating to look at with that smug look on his face and those playboy cute eyes of his. A smile touched Treize's lips as he shut the door behind him he looked as if he were about to attend a ball, dressed in full uniform the way he had been when they had first met.

"I am glad to see that you are healing well, Wufei. Your wounds were quite serious but it seems that, like all Gundam pilots death just seems to keep on missing you." Treize replied calmly. The door opened again and three maids stepped into the room carrying clothes in their arms. They laid their loads on the bed before giving a curtsy to Treize and walking back out of the room. Wufei eyed the clothes as if they were snakes; they looked like something a nobleman like Treize would be wearing so why had the maids brought them here?

"You will be joining me tonight; I assume you would wish to get out of this room after three days so I am taking you out, unless you would rather stay with the maids that is." Treize replied calmly.

Wufei glared down at the clothes, but he would rather face whatever Treize threw at him then one more moment with the maids. He turned his eyes back at Treize but the man just stood their waiting not moving an inch. Time seemed to slow as he went about the task of getting undressed and dressed while trying to ignore a man that could not be ignored if he were part of the furniture. Surprisingly the clothes fit and even more surprising they did not look too bad on him.

"You won't pass for a noble, but you'll certainly make heads turn tonight." Treize replied calmly one eyebrow rose in approval. "Come, I would think that tonight will be quite . . . enjoyable."

She stood waiting beside the car her long black hair curled into a bun at the top of her head, wearing a long dark red dress with silver inlaid vines racing up the sleeves and around her throat. On anyone else the dress would have looked beautiful, but she somehow managed to make it look as plain as if she were wearing jeans and shirt. She turned slowly at their approach, the same sketchbook from before clutched in front of her like a shield. Treize stepped up beside her taking hold of her hand.

"Wufei, I would like you to meet my Goddaughter, Wumei."

He already knew who she was, although he had not known that she was Treize's goddaughter.

"Shall we?" Treize motioned towards the car and a male servant suddenly appeared pulling the door open for them. Wufei took note that the one driving wore a military uniform; if it was a trap it was pointless Treize already had him, yet still he was weary. An image of him walking into a lions den did not help matters as he settled down beside Wumei in the car. The engine rumbled to life and the car took off into the night. Reaching over him, Treize tugged the sketchbook from Wumei's lap and placed it in a side compartment.

"I thought I told you not to bring that, Wumei." Treize lectured calmly. Wumei sank into the chair crossing her arms over her chest as she muttered to herself; she looked like a kid throwing a silent tantrum. "I'm sorry, but you know what happened last time you brought that with you." If anything she seemed to shrink in on herself at his words but the meaning of it all was left unknown to Wufei.

After a long silent drive, the car finally pulled to a stop in front of a large mansion lit up with bright lights and surrounded with mobile suits not to mention soldiers. Wufei noted the soldiers and the mecha's, weighing his options of escape to zero without his weapons, unless he could create a distraction. He moved to the side as Wumei stepped out beside him, if he looked out of place then she really _was_ out of place. She held her middle and stared at the soldier who offered her his arm as if he were crazy to even think of such a notion. Turning red, the soldier stepped back and tried to make it look like it had never happened.

She turned back to him and tilted her head to the side; a loose strand of hair fell over her face as she stared at him waiting for him to move. Sighing to himself, Wufei stepped up beside her and followed behind Treize, the man waited for no one he was already halfway up the walk without realizing that he had left the two of them behind.

"So, you're a friend of his?" She spoke so softly that he nearly missed what she had said.

"Not really." He replied, it still hurt to walk but it was easily ignored, could he possibly jump over those hedges with his injury only half-healed?

"Then how do you know him?" She asked as they passed through the front door still way behind Treize.

"I fought him once." Jumping was no good; he could injure himself again and end up right back in Treize's arms.

"Did you win?"

"No, I lost." And the shame of that loss was still with him only this time it was worse. Maybe he could sneak out dressed as one of the soldiers, no he would have to fight one and it might prove less favorable when injured.

"Oh . . . ." She sounded disappointed.

"I won't lose to him a second time." Wufei whispered more to himself then to her. She remained silent staring down at the ground her hands still holding her stomach as if she feared it might try to float away. She was Treize's goddaughter yet she looked about as comfortable around the man as a fish would around a hungry cat. She always seemed to keep her eyes downcast as if afraid of everyone and everything around her, her hands she kept to herself with that same kind of fear.

She paused as they finally caught up with Treize at the entrance to the ballroom; Wufei turned his attention towards the windows and exits noting that there were places in the room where he could definitely disappear without being noticed. Treize turned to them so suddenly that Wufei blinked in surprise to find the older man's face right in front of him.

"Mei, I trust you will keep an eye on Wufei as this is his first time attending a ball." Oh, he was a sly one this man he must have known that Wufei would seek a way out as soon as it was presented.

"Um . . . yes sir, I will." She answered in a tiny voice.

"Good, then . . . if I am no longer needed here, I believe I see an old friend . . . ." Treize replied as he turned and waltzed into the room, drawing everyone's attention like moths to a flame. Wufei leered at the sight of it all, he hated everything about nobles and now he had a new reason, they were all impossibly stupid . . . except for Treize that is.

Wumei followed behind pausing only to wait for him to follow, it was even more obvious that she did not belong in such a crowd when she was placed among them. It was like a duck trying to pose as a swan. She paused every now and then to speak to anyone who recognized her but said no more then a few words at best. She did not belong and these people knew it, they were going out of their way to show her that she did not belong among them and she was letting them! He stepped between her and the next person who decided to try to talk to her, a strong glare sent in that person's direction and no one else bothered to notice her after that.

"Why do you do this to yourself?" He whispered fiercely pulling her to a spot where no one could see or hear them. Not that it would matter much; she was about as visible as the wind in a room like this.

"What are you talking about? Let go of my arm you're hurting me." She replied pulling her wrist from his grip.

"Those people out there don't notice you, they're only trying to make you feel bad and you're letting them have their way!" He replied angrily.

"I am not! Those are Master Treize's friends, I can't just ignore them."

"I highly doubt that Treize would wish you to feel insignificant in a crowd like this! You're letting them walk all over you while they laugh at you behind your back! I have never met such a woman as stupid as you in my life!" He whispered coldly.

She stared at him her hands clinched at her sides as her face turned red with embarrassment, something sparkled behind those onyx colored eyes and it took him a moment to realize they were tears. Wufei glared back at her crossing his arms over his chest as he waited for her to speak. Biting her lip, she turned and walked away from him into the crowded room, her tears seemed to vanish as she smiled and made her way towards the garden exit. Cursing himself for a fool, Wufei followed after her his fists clinched at his sides. It was not her fault she was weak, all women were but perhaps he should not have put it in that way.

The garden was arranged in a maze like design with secret hideaways and places where lovers could sit and be alone; he would never be able to find her in a place like this! Grumbling under his breath, the pain had started to bloom anew with all this walking he was doing, he thought of turning back but decided against it. This could be his chance to run, Treize would be none the wiser and this way he would not have to deal with Wumei. He turned a corner and came to a stop in the shadows when he spotted Wumei sitting alone in the middle of the garden maze her back to him. She had let her hair down and was staring up at the moon.

"Have you come to lecture me _more_ . . . Wufei?" Her voice was like a whisper of the wind as she turned her gaze towards him. Wufei blinked at what he saw in her eyes, a firestorm of rage and barely concealed anger burned behind those plain eyes of hers. She pushed herself up onto her feet, her fists clinched tightly to her sides she turned and moved further into the garden. Wufei moved after her unsure as to why he bothered chasing after her, she was obviously angry at him. _She should be angry at all those people in there not at me, just because I told her the truth._ He thought as he followed behind her.

She turned to the left and he followed after only to run into a dead end. _Where did she . . .?_ He looked closer at the wall and spotted a small opening where the vines had managed to become overgrown hiding a secluded part of the garden away from everything else. Moving slowly, he made his way through the overgrown vines and into a part of the garden that apparently no one else knew about. Moonflowers bloomed, their lovely white petals giving off a wonderful smell that made his senses reel in delight.

"Why won't you just leave me alone?" Wumei's voice echoed from a corner of the garden where she stood staring back at him. Her hair hid a part of her face as she turned her gaze towards the moonflowers, like a living shadow it blended in with the dark colors at the same time that her dress blended in with the moonflowers.

"How did you find a place like this?" He asked looking around at the flowers.

"Heh, there's a _good_ side to being mistaken for the hired help; the Gardener showed it to me the first time I was here. He called it his secret garden within a garden, and it's so well hidden that no one ever notices it." She sighed clasping her hands over her waist. The first time he had met her, the way she often carried herself even the way she spoke none of it fit into the role she was playing.

"I don't belong here Wufei, anymore then you belong in those clothes." Her eyes closed and she turned away from him, "I can tell that you want to escape . . . I can see it in your eyes whenever Treize isn't looking." She looked back at him a ghost of a smile appearing on her lips. It was a small smile the kind he had once seen a child give to its' mother right before surprising her. It was the kind of smile she would never wear in front of Treize or anyone else, a secret smile. "I know how you can escape."

"I know how you can escape." Why had she said those words to him? This was her secret place he had no right to ruin the peace of her sanctuary. Why did she feel so compelled to help him, and for what reasons should she? The way he looked at her, actually seeing her when no one else would. She wanted to help him; she wanted to help someone escape from this glass prison they were both trapped in.

"How, all the exits are covered." He replied almost sourly. The smile on her face stretched as her heart beat resounded in her chest. No, not all the exits . . . only the ones the guests and the soldiers knew of were covered. _It pays to be mistaken for a servant._ She spun around to face him one hand reaching behind her, through the ridiculous folds of clothing she was forced to wear, to pull out a carefully wrapped package. Taking a step towards him she began to unwrap it slowly.

"My clothes!" He whispered reaching out to take hold of the fabric, "How did you find them?"

"The maids gave it to me, they told me to hide it but after I met you I didn't want to keep it from you. I wanted you to escape, so I kept them with me at all times." A blush appeared on her face as she let him take the clothes from her. Bending low, she pulled yet another package from around her leg and handed it to him as well glad to finally be rid of it.

"My gun!" He looked up at her then, surprised.

"Treize gave it to me . . . he knows I hate weapons so he thought I wouldn't carry such a thing with me." She shrugged looking down at the ground, "I thought you might need it," She reached into her pocket and handed him a sheet of paper and yet another bundle, "Sometimes it pays to wear baggy clothes."

With all the extras gone, the dress actually looked better then it had a moment ago, the soft folds actually suited her. He had been wrong, she was not plain it was only her clothes that had made her look so unimportant. He moved closer and gently lifted her chin so that she would look up at him. The moonlight reflected off her eyes as she stared up at him, his breath caught in his chest. She could have escaped without him, she knew a way out of this glass prison but she was giving it to him.

"Don't ever look down again, hold your head up proudly." He whispered softly to her.

"The exit's right over there, under the brush. You should come out on the other side of the road, head straight and you'll reach the town before daybreak." She replied calmly pointing behind her to a space in the hedge that was barely noticeable unless one noticed the way the moonflowers rimmed the sides. He released her chin and stepped past her like a ghost in the wind, she listened to his footsteps as they retreated pausing before the threshold. A soft shuffle of leaves and she knew he was gone . . . .


	2. Chapter 2

Like Glass

Disclaimer: I don't own the Gundam Wing Characters so please don't sue me for borrowing them

"Is now really the time to be talking about something like this?"

Wufei sighed as he stared out the open window of the truck watching the scenery pass him by. Sitting beside him in the driver's side, Sally glanced at her younger partner out of the corner of her eye. She hadn't wanted to speak of something like this but the ride back to H.Q would be a long one even without her overly silent and often brooding partner. Two years had passed since the events with Mariamaia's army and the boy—she really couldn't see him as anything other than a child even at this point—remained as silent now as he had the day he'd shown up at Preventer's H.Q asking to be given a code-name.

"I'm just trying to make conversation," She replied calmly, "If you don't want to answer then you don't have to."

Wufei's silence was about the only answer she was likely to get at this point, or at least that's what she figured would happen. After all, she'd asked him a random question seemingly out of thin air. The boy shouldn't be asked to answer questions like that but the truth was that curiosity had gotten the better of her. She wanted to know _something_ about her partner other than that his entire clan had died during the war and that he was a former Gundam Pilot.

"How'd you find out about it?" Wufei whispered in that monotonous voice of his.

"Well . . . it _was_ a long flight back to Earth with Duo and Trowa." She replied almost hesitating over the words.

"He talks too much." Wufei replied with his usual bluster whenever it concerned Duo Maxwell.

"If you don't want to answer then you don't have to." She repeated as the truck bounced over a small pot-hole.

Wufei grunted in answer and the two descended back into silence. Well, she wondered, what else did she expect? Her question certainly had been random after all, innocent but random. Though Duo's story remained still in the back of her mind—of the week Wufei had been captured by the enemy only to mysteriously return with no more that a scowl and a grunt. The question—_what had happened to him during that time_? It plagued the back of her head almost as much as the notion that Wufei might be gay. The silence stretched on for what seemed like hours before Wufei finally spoke again.

"I'm not gay," The blunt answer left her speechless for a moment her mouth gapping open and close like a fish out of water.

"I—I never said that you were—Wufei," She stuttered shaking her head, "But you have to admit, spending a week with the same man who was your enemy during the war—then suddenly reappearing without any answers . . . ." She shook her head leaving the rest unsaid.

"It wasn't like that." Wufei sighed, "I spent the week healing, Trieze wasn't the kind of man to take advantage of an injured person. And he most certainly wasn't _that_ kind of man."

"Then if that's all that happened, why all the secrecy—why didn't you just tell the others what'd happened?"

"It wasn't important." He answered simply.

"Huh, I guess that answers that little mystery—for me anyways, Duo on the other hand." She let a smile spread across her face at the words.

"Yeah . . . ." Wufei whispered not really paying attention to what she'd said.

"Wufei?" Sally whispered just loud enough so that he turned to stare back at her, "What is it? Something had to have happened or you wouldn't be so—silent about things."

"Nothing—I just remembered something I'd forgotten," Wufei answered looking back out the window, "Trieze had his god-daughter living with him at the time, a girl about the same age as me. She was half-Chinese, the daughter of a close friend of his who'd been killed when the girl was five. He'd taken her in since he was the only family she seemed to have left in the world."

"I never knew about that." Sally frowned slightly, "Maybe we should ask Lady Une where she lives."

"She died." Wufei whispered calmly.

"Oh—sorry . . . ."

Wufei shrugged, "It doesn't matter, and I didn't really know her well enough to care either way. According to the report she was killed by accident before the war ended, about two days after I escaped."

"Oh, Wufei—You can't think this was your fault."

"I don't." Wufei replied placing his head in his chin, "Her death was ruled an accident and filed away in the back of my mind until now. I thought her death was about the only way she could be free so I didn't care."

Sally remained silent staring at her partner out of the corner of her eye. Was he really serious about what he'd just said? That the girl had meant nothing to him and that he'd forgotten about her up until this moment. She hated to admit it but she didn't know the boy well enough to know if he was lying or not.

"Okay then." Sally whispered. They drove on in silence over the bumpy road, each in their own thoughts.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"What was her name?"

The question hung in the air between the two of them as Sally wandered around the comforts of the living room. She turned to see Heero staring at her with one eyebrow raised slightly in what she thought was his own personal curiosity. She cleared her throat as she looked away.

"He didn't tell me, I figured you would be the only person on the planet that could go on what little I found out."

Heero sniffed at the complement as he turned back around to face the computer, his fingers flashed over the keyboard imputing data with swift precision. He had to admit, he was curious to know what had Sally—a woman he considered to be sturdy and calm, so riled up that she would show up at his home in the middle of the night with nothing but questions seeking questions.

"You want me to confirm her death?"

"I want you to tell me what you can about her." Sally sighed, she felt slightly uncomfortable about going behind Wufei's back on this one but there was something about this that made her curious. The sound of Wufei's voice when he'd spoken about this girl, it said more to her than anything else in the world.

"I can give you her name," Heero replied calmly.

"You can? That was fast." Sally replied in surprise.

"If it's the same girl then I can tell you anything about her," Heero turned to look at her, "Wufei asked me the same thing two years back. He wanted me to find her, something about thanking her or something like that."

"Oh," She should have known that was what the boy had done, but it honestly hadn't occurred to her until that moment. Wufei always seemed so—sure of himself that the thought that he might actually seek someone out to confirm something seemed—off.

"Her name was Wumei Charles, both her mother and her father were killed in a drive by when she was five years old. She was sent to live with her god-father soon after her parents deaths were confirmed, the gunners were never found and the attack was ruled a random killing. She lived with her god-father for ten years before she was reportedly killed by a rogue shot aimed at Trieze."

"Reportedly?" Sally blinked at the words.

"None of it was ever actually confirmed, though there _is_ a grave with her name on it in the same cemetery her parents were buried in."

"Then we don't actually know if she was killed or not?"

Heero shrugged, "No one ever cared enough to confirm if it was Trieze's god-daughter or not. Apparently she was just that kind of person. No one could confirm if it was her or not since no one could really remember seeing what she looked like."

"What?" His words didn't make sense and she frowned as she leaned back tapping her lower lip with her finger, "Then if it wasn't confirmed then how do we know it's real? How do we know she's really dead?"

Heero shrugged, "I asked Wufei the same thing when he asked me to look it up, but he didn't answer me. He just walked out without speaking."

"And you didn't think that was strange?"

He shrugged again, "It didn't matter. Wufei wanted to know something, I told him his answer and he left."

"But—_how_ do you confirm her death? How do we know Wumei is really dead if there's no proof?"

"Dig up her grave, though I have to tell you there's no photo of her to confirm that the body in the grave is hers. Apparently Trieze never kept photos of her, Wufei's the only person left alive who could accurately identify her if you ask me."

"It doesn't make sense, if it wasn't confirmed then why—?" She suddenly didn't want to know the answer to her question.

"You'll have to ask him that."

Sally shook her head; no she wouldn't bring up such an odd question—not for her sake. Whatever had happened to the girl—it was obvious that Wufei wouldn't appreciate her digging any further than this.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Are you ready for this?"

His question floated in the darkness over her head like a chime echoing down a long corridor. Standing in the warmth provided by the sunlight shining into the room, she turned in the direction of his voice. A pair of sightless eyes stared blankly past him with a sad smile pasted on a pale face. In her hands, she held a long thin red and white rod that had become her eyes for the past two years. Learning had been difficult, the most difficult thing she could ever imagine but everything had paid off in the end.

"I suppose I don't have much of a choice now do I?"

A hand took hold of hers, firm and warm as if the man she could never see were attempting to transfer his bravery into her unwilling form. Her fingers shook as they often did whenever someone held them, and for a moment a memory played clearly in her mind. But, like all memories of her past—this one slipped away before she could firmly grab hold of it. Just as his hand slipped out of hers before she could take firm hold of it. She sighed, folding her fingers around the length of her stick leaning slightly on it as she brought it close to her forehead.

"You won't even let me touch your face, and yet you come every day to visit me." She shook her head staring at where she hoped his face might be, "Why do you care so much for someone like me? Did—did you know me?"

"I was paid to take care of you," The blunt answer struck at her heart and she gripped the stick tightly as if she might take solace in its smooth presence.

"Is that the only reason?"

"Yes."

She heaved another tired sigh, "Then I suppose that now your—_duty_ is over there's no one left to pay you anymore and _I_ certainly won't pay for your company."

She straightened as she took a step forward her face a picture of stone. The tip of the rod rolled across the floor hitting the tip of his feet and he took a step back as she found her way past him. He watched her make her way out of the room that had been her home for the past two years with a slight tinge in his chest. _Don't fall for her; it'll only bring you heartache_. The warning of two years seemed to ring dully in his ears as he watched. _Too late_, he thought as he followed after her.

She stumbled some steps ahead of him and he stiffened at the sight of it, though she quickly regained her footings before she could fall it still startled him to see her like this. A moment passed and she continued on as if nothing had happened. _She's changed, you know_, the thought flowed unbidden into his mind as he watched. Of course she'd changed, it'd been two years already—he should hope she had changed. Two years since the accident, two years since her life—at least the life she could not remember, had ended.

_Like glass shattering_, he thought with a slight shake of his head. The metaphor seemed appropriate, given her past life.

"Lafayette, you should slow down—take things easy, the world isn't going to leap out from beneath your feet." He cautioned when he noticed her stumble a second time.

Her head twisted around to stare sightlessly in his direction and a scowl spread across her face. "I think I can take care of myself, _sir_. I do not much care to have you lecture me on—the proper way to walk."


End file.
